Releasing mechanism for automatic vending machines



May 5, 1931. H. c. HANSEN 1,804,098

RELEASING HECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 14, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l 7/ f ymsen May 5, 1931. H. c. HANSEN 1,304,093

RELEASING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINES I Filed Feb. 14, 19292 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatented May 5, 1931 SEFS "rear orrie HANS CHRISTIANHAH'SEN; OF FBEDERIKSBERG, DENMARK, ASSIGNOR TO SOREN \VISTOFT 5 COJSFABBKKEB, EiKTS OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK RELEASING Iv'IECHA NISIE FORAUTGMATIC VENDING MACHINES Application filed February 14, 1929, SerialNo. 338,886, and in Great Britain February 23, 1828.

This invention relates to a releasing device for automatic vendingmachines of the type capable of distinguishing between coins with andwithout a flange so that upon insertion of a coin with a flange, forwhich such machine is intended, the opening member may -.be opened,whereas such opening cannot take place if a coin without a flange isinserted.

The releasing mechanism in question is essentially characterized by thecombination of a pair of coin feelers and a lever mechanism consistingof several levers coupled to a slide, one of the ends of one of thelevers forming a bottom for a pocket for receiving a coin inserted intothe machine which, if it has a flange, is seized by the feelers andthereby causes the lever mechanism to be moved into such a manner as toallow an opening of the opening member of the machine, whereas if thecoin isnot flanged and is therefore not seized by the feelers, the levermechanism will lock itself if any attempt is made to open the saidopening member and thereby prevent such opening.

In the accompanying drawings is shown a constructional form of suchdevice, in which:

Figure 1 shows the device in side elevation,

Figure 2 the same seen from above, and

Figure 8 the same in sectional view along the lines 1-1 in Figure l.

For sake of affording a greater simplicity some parts have been omittedin the Figures 2 and 3.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a wall belonging to the machinecasing. In this wall'is journalled a horizontal shaft 2, Figures 1 and3, on which there is fitted a swivel ling bell crank 3, 4c, the one arm3 of Which'is normally horizontal or almost horizontal, and the outerend of this arm, in a manner not shown, thus coupled to the openingmember of the respective machine that an open ing of the latter willcause a counter-clockwise rotation (Figure 1) of thebell crank a, 4.

The other upwardly directed arm 4 of the latter is of a special shape.Its left-hand edge, Figure 1, forms a plane surface 5 obliquely'inclined upwards to the left between which and the plane upper surfaceof arm 3 there is a space 6 for receiving a roller 7 which willhereinafter be more particularly discussed, whereas the said edge of arml forms a surface 8 coaxial with the shaft 2 (thus acircular-cylindrical surface) and thereafter a plane surface 9 whichnormally is in an almost vertical position. The upper edge of arm 4forms, seen from the upper end of surface 9, first a plane surface 10,which normally is almost horizontal, thereupon a shoulder 11 which isparallel to the surface 10 and is at a greater distance than the samefrom the axis of the shaft 2 and from which a normally almost verticalsurface 12 proceeds upwards and is continued by an oblique surface 13extending upwardly and to the right, Figure 1, which surface 13 is againcontinued by a surface 14 (a circular-cylindrical surface) concentricwith the shaft 2.

The arm l of the bell crank has, moreover, at the top at the side turnedtowards the wall 1, a comparatively short upwardly extending branch 15which is closer to the wall mentioned than the remainder of the arm Theside of this branch turned from this wall, which normally is in analmost vertical plane, reaches down into a line with the hereinbeforementioned surface 10. On the shank of a horizontal screw 16 screwed intothe branch 15, there is revolubly fitted a roller 17, which is on theside of branch 15, turned away from the wall 1, and the axis of which isnormally in, or almost in a vertical plane through the axis of shaft 2.

On the side of arm a of the bell crank 3, .2 turned away from the casingwall 1, i an angularly shaped plate 0. In 19 is secured by screws 18which close above the upper fixing screw 18 is bent over away from thearm at and then again upwards parallel to said a rm. The upper edge ofthe plate arm 19 is coaxial to shaft 2.

The aforementioned roller 7 which normally is in the space 6, isrevolubly fitted on the outer side of an arm 22 which itself isrevolubly fitted to a pin 23 secured in the machine wall 1, and by theaction of a spring 24, the one end of which is secured to-the arm 22while its other end is attached to a pin in "mu 1, the roller 7 isnormally held against the oblique plane surface 5 of the left-hand edgeof bell crank arm l, thereby ensuring a given position of the bell crank3 l when tl c opening member of the machine is closed.

The machine wall 1 has at its top a flange Figure 3. on which there issecured a top plate 26 having a longitudinal hole 21 which plate 525 hasat its top a couple of longitudinal laihs 27 to which there are securedby means o'l rews 28 a couple of plate strips 29 which together with the'd laths 27 form guides for a slidible plate. ,niped slide 30 which atits front (to the right in Figure 1) is bent upwards with a part 31. Itsback (left side in Figures 1 and forms a stop for a pair of feelers,more particularly discussed below, and into the middle of the part thereis scr wed a screw 33 which is held by a lock nut 32 and the head 34 ofwhich forms the adjustable foremost limit for the hereinbefore mentionedcoin pocket. The slide has close to its rearmost end (left end in Figure2) a rectangular hole 300 and the other part of the slide has here alongitudinal hole 35 immeoie ever the longitu al hole Q1 in Lie topplate 26 which b sides lies immediately below the said rectangular hole300. On the top of slide 30 there is secured by means of a couple ofscrews 36 a reinforcing or wearing plate 37 which has a rectangular hole38 of slightly smaller dimensions than the rectangular hole 300 in. theslide 30. immediately over which is the hole 38.

Through the longitudinal hole 21 in the top plate 26. the hole 300 inthe slide and the hole 38 in the plate 37 there is passed the uppermostpart of an upwardly turned arm 39 of a bell crank 39. 40. The latter isrotatably fitted on a pin ll. fitted. in wall 1, while its other arm lO,ext-ending forwards (to the right in Figure 1) is bent and terminates ina downwardly turned nose 42 which normally bears against thehereinbefore mentioned roller 17, supported by the branch 15 of the arm4 of the bell crank 3, t. The nose 4:2 is under the action of a springl3 held against the said roller. the one end of said spring beingconnected to arm 39 and the other end. to a pin 4L4: fixed in the wall1.

Upwardly through the longitudinal hole. 21 in the top plate 25 andthrough the ongitudinal hole 35 in the slide 30 there extends the upperend of a curved double-armed lever l5 swivelling on a shaft 46 securedin a suitable manner in wall 1. At its lower end the lever has a roller47 intended. to co-operate with the circular cylindrical upper edge 20of the angular plate arm l9 hereinafter more particularly discussed.Under the action of a spring 48, the one end of which is connected to afixed pin 419, while its other end is connected to the upper arm of thelBVGldll,

uprightpart with three horizontal platesha 38d flanges extendingforwards, of which the lowermost is secured to the slide, while the endedges of the two others 51 and 52, Figure 1, form the rear limit of apocket into which a coin will drop which is inserted into the machine.This pocket is limited at its sides by two plate arms 53, lfigures l.and 2. parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the slidestanding on their narrow edge and extending horizontally and which eachbelong to a plate member which is in a suitable manner secured to theunderside of the fixed top plate 26 and projects up through thelongitudinal holes in the same and the slide, 21 and 35, respectively.At its front the said coin pocket is limited by the head 34 of screw 33and the bottom of the pocket is formed by the upper end surface of lever45.

5ev are two plate-shaped feelers one on each side of the said coinpocket, each of them being the one arm of a double-armed lever rotatableon a vertical pin 55 pointing upwards from the top plate 26, the otherend 56 of which lever being at its outer end connected to a pin 58likewise projecting upwards from the top plate 26. Each feeler has atits back on its inner edge (the edge turned towards the other feeler) abeak 59 while at its front on its inner edge there is formed a nose 60which under action of the respective spring 57 on the feeler is heldagainst the back (in Figure 2, left side) of the upwardly bent part 31of the slide. Normally the two feeler beaks 59 opposite to each other,extending from opposite sides into the aforementioned coin pocket. eachbeneath the one plate arm 53, are at such a distance from each otherthat the flange of a coin for which the machine is intended will freelypass between them.

The operation of the arrangement is as follows:

Assuming that a coin of the proper dcnomination with a flange isinserted the coin lmsses through a coin chute (not shown) of the usualkind down into the aforen'ientioned pocket so that it will rest on theupper end of lever 45. If new the opening member of the machine isoperated for opening it, :he bell crank 3, 4t is turnedcounter-clockwisc (Figure 1) whereby the roller 17 is removed from thenose 42 of the bell crank 39, L0 and the consequence thereof is that thelatter bell crank is turned clockwise under the aclion of the spring4-3. Thereby the slide 30 moved forwards (to the right in Figure 1)during which movement the flanges 51 and 52 of the part 50 on said slidewill carry the coin with them, and as soon as the moveinal position mentof the slide commences and the forwarc upwardly bent part of the slideis thereby removed from the noses of the feelers 5 1*,

the springs 5'? will turn the feelers so that he two beaks 59 of thefeelers are so far brought towards each other that the flange of thecoin cannot pass between them. After only a short forward movement ofthe slide the flange is seized by the beaks of the feelers, these newbearing against the coin side surface closely within the flange andfurher forward movemen of the slide is prevented.

The forward movement of the slide and the corresponding turnino; of thebell crank 39, ll) is not greater than that of the nose 42 of the bellcrank during the opening of the opening member of the machine and thecorresponding turning of hell crank 3, a strikes against the bevel 13 ofarm l. Durin the further turning of bell crank 3, el the bevel 13 willcause the bell crank 39, 40 to be turned back in a direction towards itsnoragainst the action of spring 43, while at the same time the slide 30is moved back until this bell crank and with it the slide are againin'their normal position at the moment when the circular-cylindricalsurface 14: on arm 4 passes under the nose 4:2. The radius of surface14c is, namely, equal to the distance betwee the axis of the shaft 2 andthe upper horizontal tangential plane of roller 17 when the wholereleasing mechanism is in a position of rest (normal pos tion). At aboutthe same time the pl suriace 5 on the left edge of the arm 4 will leavethe roller '4'. During the further opening; of the opening member of themachine and the consequent turning of the bell crank 3, a the slide 30will thus remain in its norma l. posi'ion, the nose of the bell crank39, L0 continuing to bear on the circular-cylindrical surface 14 whilethe roller '1' is held against the circular-cylindrical surface 8.

About immediately on the commencement of the said further opening theangular plate arm 19 meets the roller 47 below on the double-armed lever45, and th reby turns this lever clockwise (Figure 1) until thecirculancylindrical upper edge 20 of theplate arm'passes under theroller. The lever 45 has then moved into such a position, whichitretains during the further opening oper ation, that the coin can falldown to the left if the upper end of lever 45 to be in any suitablemanner conducted to a coin box or the like. The coin has namelypreviously been released by the feelers 54, viz., at the moment when theslide returned into its normal position, whereby the front upwardl bentpart 31 of the slide by acting on the noses 6O turned the feelers insuch a manner against the action of the springs 57 that the beaks aremoved away from each other.

hen the opening member of the machine is again closed, the bell crank 3,t is turned in a direction opposite to that before mentioned. At themoment the surface 1% leaves the nose as of the bell crank 39, 40 thisbell crank can turna little under the action of spring 43 and therebycarry the slide forward. But by the action of roller 17 on the nose 60the bell crank 39, 40 and with it the slide 30 is immediately afteragain. moved into normal position. When the closing of the openingmember is almost completed the surface 8 will leave the roller 7 and thelatter and with it the arm 22 return into normal position. Thedouble-armed lever i5 is by the action of spring 48 turned back into itsnormal position determined by the stop pin 490.

if, instead of a coin with flange, a coin without a flange (a wrongcoin) is inserted into the machine and it is thereupon attempted to openthe opening member, the bell crank 3, will, as before, be turnedcounter-clockwise (Figure 1) so that the roller 17 will leave the nose42 of the. bell crank 39, 40. By action of the spring 43, the latterbell crank will be turned and thereby push the slide and with it thecoin, forward. As the coin has no flange the feelers 54 will not stopthe for ward movement of the slide and the consequence thereof is thatthe bell crank 39, 40 is almost immediately turned so far that itsnose4:2 is caught by the shoulder 11 and the surface 12 on the arm at of thebell crank and the whole lever mechanism is then locked so as to preventan opening of the machine. fit the relatively great displacement 'ofslide 30 corresponding to the comparatively great turning of hell crank39, 40 the coin will be pushed so far forward that it will fall down tothe right of bell crank 45 so as to be by any suitable means conductedout of the machine. The turn which the bell c link 3, 4 can performunder these circumstances is so small that the surface 5 of the arm 4:continues to be in contact with the roller 7, and when the openingmember of the machine after the attempted opening is again released, theroller 7 will in consequence of the action of spring 34 on arm 22 causethe parts to return into normal position. I

The details here shown and described nay be varied in several wayswit-bout departing from the scope of the invention.

1 claim: I i

1. Releasing mechanism for automatic vending machines, including adisplaeeablc slide, a. pocket in said slide for receiving an insertedcoin, apair of coin feelers for controlling the displacement of saidslide, detent for controlling the operation of the vending machine,mechanism including a plurality of levers, one of said levers beingconnected to said slide, a lug on said lever for cooperating with saiddetent, another of said levers forming the bottom of said coin receivingpocket, and means to cause the feelers to entil gage and arrest a propercoin moving with said slide, the arrest of the movement of the slide andcoin permitting the lever mechanism to be moved to effect operation ofthe machine, said feelers permitting free passage of an improper coin,said lever mechanism acting on introduction of an improper coin toprevent operation of the machine.

2. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatsaid lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled to the opening memberof the machine, a spring actuated bell crank connected one terminal tothe slide and actuated in part by the first mentioned bell crank, saidcoin supporting lever being retained in normal position by spring meansand adapted, during movement of the first mentioned bell crank, to beactuated to displace its upper end forming the bottom of the pocketwhereby to permit the coin to fall at one side of the coin supportinglever, the movement of the slide and the second mentioncd bell crankunder the influence the spring actuated means of the latter beingarrested by engagement of the feelers with a proper coin, and saidsecond mentioned bell crank being restored to initial position by thefirst mentioned bell crank during further movement of the latter wherebyupon displacement of said coin supporting lever by the first mentionedbell crank the coin permitted to fall.

3. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, character'zed in thatsaid lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled to the opening memberof the machine, a. spring actuated bell crank connected at onetern'iinal to the slide and actuated in part by the mentioned bellcrank, said coin supporting lever being retained in normal position byspring means and fttll1l )i0(l, during movement of the first mentionedbell crank. be actuated to displace its upper end forming the bottom ofthe pocket whereby to permit the coin to fall at one side of the coinsupporting lever, the movement of the slide and the second mention-edbell crank under the influence of the spring actuated means of thelatter being arrested by engagement oi? the eelers with a proper coin.and said second mentioned bell crank being restored to initial ositionby the first mentioned bell crank during "Further movement oi? thelatter ifilQlt by upon displacementoii said coin supp ring lever bv thefirst mentioned ..il. crank the coin s peri'nitted to fall, said feelersoing adapted to act upon insertion of an improper coin to permit freemovement of the latter together with the slide and secon mentioned bellcrank to a position permitting the discharge of the improper coin, andmeans cooperating with the second mentioned bell crank inthe lastmentioned position of the .latterio a1 est the movement of the firstmentioned bell crank and prevent con'ipletion of operation of thelatter.

4. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled with the openingmember of the machine, a second. bell crank coupled with said slide,spring means normally acting upon the second bell crank and tending todisplace the latter together with the slide, means on the firstmentioned bell crank acting to normally retain the second bell crank innormal position and the spring means acting on the second bell crank todisplace the latter upon initial movement oi the first bell crank. saidfeelers being adapted to act to limit the movement of the slide andsecond mentioned bell crank under the influence of the spring meansassociated with the latter upon insert-ion oi. a. proper coin andpermitting displacement of the second mentioned bell crank to a greaterextent upon insertion oi an improper coin, means on the mentioned bellcrank acting to return the second mentioned bell crank to initialposition when the movement of the prop er coin and slide is arrested bysaid "feelers.

5. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe lever 1ncch anism includes a bell crank coupled with the openingmember of the machine, a second bell crank coupled With said slide,spring means normally acting upon the second bell crank and tending todisplace the lat"er together With the slit e, means on the first mewtioned bell crank acting to normally retain the second bell crank innormal position and the spring means acting on the second bell crank todisplace the lattrr upon initial move ment of the first bell crank, saidfeelers being adapted to act to limit the mov ment of the slide andsecond mentioned bell crank under the influence of the spring meansassociated with the latter upon insertion of a proper coin andpermitting displacement of the second mentioned bell crank to a greaterextent upon insertion oi an improper coin, means on the first mentionedbell crank acting to return the second mentioned bell crank to initi alposition when the movement of the proper coin and slide is arrested bysaid feelers, and means on the first bell crank adapted to abut thesecond mentioned bell crank when the latter is displaced to the fullextent of its movement upon insertion of an improper coin whereby toarrest and prevent completion of movementof the first mentioned bellcrank.

6. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled with the openingmember of the machine, a second bell crank coupled with said slide,spring means normally acting upon the second bell crank and tending todisplace the latter together with the slide, means on the firstmentioned bell crank acting to normally retain the second bell crank innormal position and the spring means acting on the second bell crank todisplace the latter upon initial movement of the first bell crank, saidfeelers being adapted to act to limit the movement of the slide andsecond mentioned bell crank under the influence of the spring meansassociated with the latter upon insertion of a proper coin andpermitting displacement of the second mentioned bell crank to a greaterextent upon insertion of an improper coin, means on the first mentionedbell crank acting to return the second mentioned bell crank to initialposition when the movement of the proper coin and slide is arrested bysaid feelers, the first mentioned bell crank being adapted, uponrestoration of the second mentioned bell crank to initial position toengage the coin supporting lever and to release proper coin.

7. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatsaid lever mechanisn includes a bell crank coupled to the opening memberof the machine, a spring actuated bell crank connected at one terminalto the slide and actuated in part by the first mentioned bell crank,said coin supporting lever being retained in normal position by springmeans and adapted, during movement of the first mentioned bell crank, tobe actuated to displace its upper end forming the bottom of the pocketwhereby to permit the coin to fall at one side of the coin-supportinglever, the movement of the slide and the second mentioned bell crankunder the influence of the spring actuated means of the latter beingarrested by engagement of the feelers with a proper coin, and saidsecond mentioned bell crank being restored to initial position by thefirst mentioned bell crank during further movement of the latter wherebyupon displacement of said coin supporting lever by the first mentionedbell crank the coin is permitted to fall, and means on said slideengaging the feelers and maintaining the latter in inoperative positionprior to the initiation of operation of the machine and releasing thefeelers and permitting the latter to engage a coin upon initial movementcf-the slide.

8. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatsaid lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled to the opening memberof the machine, a spring actuated bell crank connected at one terminalto the slide and actuated in part by the first mentioned bell crank,said coin supporting lever being retained in normal position by springmeans and adapted, during movement of the first mentioned bell crank, tobe actuated to displace its upper end forming the bottom of the pocketwhereby to permit the coin to fall at one side of the coin supportinglever, the movement of the slide and the second mentioned bell crankunder the influence of the spring actuated means of the latter beingarrested by engagement of the feelers with a proper coin, and saidsecond mentioned bell crank being restored to initial position by thefirst mentioned bell crank during further movement of the latter wherebyupon displacement of said coin supporting lever by the first mentionedbell crank the coin is permitted to fall, and means on said slideengaging the feelers and maintaining the latter in inoperative positionprior to the initiation of operation of the machine and releasing thefeelers and permitting the latter to engage a coin upon initial movementof the slide, and means for adjusting the feeler engaging means relativeto the slide.

9. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatsaid lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled to the opening memberof the machine, a second bell crank actuated in part by the first bellcrank connected with said slide and controlled by the feelers, saidsecond bell crank,-

upon insertion of an improper coin, being adapted to move to a positionobstructing movement of the first mentioned bell crank and preventingcompletion of operation of the latter.

10. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatsaid lever mechanism includes a bell crank coupled to the opening memberof the machine, a second bell crank actuated in part by the first bellcrank connected with said slide and controlled by the feelers, saidsecond bell crank, upon insertion of an improper coin, being adapted tomove to a position obstructing movement of the first mentioned bellcrank and preven ing completion of operation of the latter, said coinsupporting lever being moved to coin releasing position by the firstmentioned bell crank subsequent to initiation of movement of the latter,and means on said first bell crank for maintaining said lever in coinrcleasmg position during continuation of movement of the first bellcrank.

ll. A releasing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe levern'1echanism includes a bell crank coupled with the openi memberof the machine, a second bell crank coupled with said slide, springmeans normally acting upon the second bell crank and tending to displacethe latter together with the slide, means on the first mentioned bellcrank acting to normally retain the second bell crank in normal positionand the spring means acting on the second bell crank to displace thelatter upon initial movement of the first bell crank, said feelers beingadapted to act to limit the movement of the slide and second mentionedbell crank under the influence of the spring means associated with thelatter upon insertion of a proper coin and permitting displacement ofthe second mentioned bell crank to a greater extent upon insertion of animproper coin, means on the first mentioned bell crank acting to returnthe second mentioned bell crank to initial position when the movement ofthe prop- 5 er coin and slide is arrested by said feelers, a swivellingarm, spring means connecting the swivelling arm to the first bell crank,and means on said arm engaging a recess in the bell crank, the portionof the latter adjacent said recess having a surface coaxial with thebell crank.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

HANS CHRISTIAN HANSEN.

